40 under 40: Craft Futures feat
ures forty artists born since 1972\, the year the Smithsonian American Art
Museum’s contemporary craft and decorative arts program was established at
its branch museum\, the Renwick Gallery. The exhibition investigates evolvi
ng notions of craft within traditional media such as ceramics and metalwork
\, as well as in fields as varied as sculpture\, industrial design\, instal
lation art\, fashion design\, sustainable manufacturing\, and mathematics.
The range of disciplines represented illustrates new avenues for the handma
de in contemporary culture.

\n

All of the artworks selected for displa
y in the exhibition were created since Sept. 11\, 2001. This new work refle
cts the changed world that exists today\, which poses new challenges and co
nsiderations for artists. These 40 artists are united by philosophies for l
iving differently in modern society with an emphasis on sustainability\, a
return to valuing the hand-made and what it means to live in a state of per
sistent conflict and unease.

\n

Nicholas R. Bell\, The Fleur and Charl
es Bresler Curator of American Craft and Decorative Art at the Renwick Gall
ery\, organized the exhibition. The museum hopes to acquire works by every
artist featured in the exhibition to commemorate the fortieth anniversary o
f the Renwick Gallery.